System and method for controlling output signal of power converter

ABSTRACT

A method includes generating a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal in response to a gain transition signal indicating a transition of a power converter from a first gain mode to a second gain mode. The method further includes causing the power converter to enter the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal, and causing the power converter to enter the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal. A circuit includes a gain transition controller generating a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal in response to a gain transition signal, and a gain control circuit causing the power converter to enter the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal and causing the power converter to enter the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This present disclosure claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/344,780 filed on Jun. 2, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This present disclosure relates to integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to a power converter.

A power converter converts an input voltage into an output voltage and provides the output voltage to a load. The power converter may regulate the output voltage at a substantially constant level using a feedback loop for power factor correction (PFC) control. However, in a startup operation, a relatively large capacitance of the feedback loop may lead to a slow increase of the output voltage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a power converter according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a power converter suitable for use as the power converter of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3A illustrates a gain control circuit suitable for use as a gain control circuit of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3B illustrates a gain control circuit suitable for use as the gain control circuit of FIG. 2 according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a gain transition controller suitable for use as a transition controller of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a transition setting circuit suitable for use as a transition setting circuit of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a transition signal generator suitable for use as a transition signal generator of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a reference feedback signal generator suitable for use as a reference feedback signal generator of FIG. 6 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates example waveforms of an input voltage, a feedback signal, a sampled voltage, a transition setting signal, a feedback monitoring, a gain transition signal, a first gain control signal, and a second gain control signal.

FIG. 9A illustrates a transition signal generator suitable for use as the transition signal generator of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9B illustrates a transition signal generator suitable for use as the transition signal generator of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9C illustrates a transition signal generator suitable for use as the transition signal generator of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9D illustrates a transition signal generator suitable for use as the transition signal generator of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9E illustrates a transition signal generator suitable for use as the transition signal generator of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a transition setting circuit suitable for use as the transition setting circuit of FIG. 4 according to another embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates example waveforms of an input voltage, a feedback signal, a sampled voltage, a transition setting signal, a gain transition signal, a first gain control signal, and the second gain control signal.

FIG. 12 illustrates a process performed by a controller of a power converter according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a process performed by a controller when a power converter operates in a first gain mode according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments relate to power converters and controlling a startup operation. In an embodiment, a power converter receives an input voltage and provides an output voltage to a load. First gain control signal and a second gain control signal are generated in response to a gain transition signal, where the gain transition signal indicates a transition of the power converter from a first gain mode to a second gain mode. The power converter enters the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal. The power converter enters the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal.

FIG. 1 illustrates a power converter 100 according to an embodiment. The power converter 100 receives an input voltage V_(IN) and provides an output voltage V_(OUT) to a load 160.

The power converter 100 in FIG. 1 includes a primary side controller 110. The primary side controller 110 in FIG. 1 may be integrated in a semiconductor chip, and the semiconductor chip may be packaged by itself or together with one or more other semiconductor chips.

The load 160 in FIG. 1 may include one or more integrated chips (ICs). In an embodiment, the output voltage V_(out) is used to supply power to a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an integrated memory circuit, a battery charger, a light emitting diode (LED), or other types of electrical load.

FIG. 2 illustrates a power converter 200 suitable for use as the power converter 100 of FIG. 1. The power converter 200 includes a primary side circuit 202 and a secondary side circuit 204.

The primary side circuit 202 in FIG. 2 includes a bridge rectifier 206, a capacitor 208, a primary winding 212, a switching device 226, and a controller 210. In an embodiment, the controller 210 in FIG. 2 is a primary side controller. A power supply (not shown) provides an AC input signal AC_(IN) to the bridge rectifier 206, which inverts the negative halves of the received AC signal to generate a rectified AC signal (or an input voltage) V. The input voltage V_(IN) is applied to the primary winding 212 of the power converter 200.

The primary side controller 210 in FIG. 2 includes an auxiliary winding 230, first and second resistors 242 and 244, a sample-and-hold (S/H) circuit 228, a gain control circuit 240, a gain transition controller 220, and a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller (or a modulation controller) 234. The primary side controller 210 in FIG. 2 generates a PWM signal (or a modulation signal) PWM to control (e.g., turn on or off) a switching device 226.

When the switching device 226 in FIG. 2 is turned on, a first current flowing through the switching device 226 increases from zero to a peak value and energy is stored in the primary winding 212. When the switching device 226 is turned off, the stored energy causes a diode 218 in the secondary side circuit 204 to be turned on, resulting in a second current flowing through the diode 218. During a diode conduction period, a sum of an output voltage V_(OUT) and a diode forward-voltage drop is reflected to the auxiliary winding 230 and a magnitude of the second current decreases. Because the diode forward-voltage drop decreases as the second current decreases, the reflected voltage V_(NA) across the auxiliary winding 230 at a time proximate to the end of the diode conduction period can be represented by Equation 1:

$\begin{matrix} {V_{NA} \approx {{V_{OUT}\frac{N_{A}}{N_{S}}}.}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1} \end{matrix}$

In Equation 1, N_(A) is a number of turns of the auxiliary winding 230 and N_(S) is a number of turns of the secondary winding 214.

The first and second resistors 242 and 244 in FIG. 2 function as a voltage divider and generate a divided voltage V_(A) at a node between the first and second resistors 242 and 244. The S/H circuit 228 in FIG. 2 samples the divided voltage V_(A) at the time proximate to the end of the diode conduction time, and thus a tracking signal (e.g., a tracking voltage) V_(AOUT) corresponding to the sampled voltage has a level proportional to the output voltage V_(OUT). In an embodiment, the S/H circuit 228 samples the divided voltage V_(A) at the time corresponding to 70%, 85%, or 90% of the diode conduction time at a previous switching cycle. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 includes the S/H circuit 228 to sample the divided voltage V_(A) at a specific time to generate the sampled voltage V_(AOUT), embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the S/H circuit 228 may be omitted, and the divided voltage V_(A) can be used as the tracking signal V_(AOUT) to continuously track the output voltage V_(OUT). In another embodiment, the auxiliary winding 230 may be further omitted, and a scaled version of the output voltage V_(OUT) can be used as the tracking signal V_(AOUT).

The gain control circuit 240 in FIG. 2 receives the sampled voltage V_(AOUT), a reference voltage V_(REF), a first gain control signal (e.g., a proportional gain control signal) GAIN_(P), and a second gain control signal (e.g., an integral gain control signal) GAIN_(I), and generates a feedback signal FB in response to the received signals V_(AOUT), V_(REF), GAIN_(P), and GAIN_(I). In an embodiment, the first gain control signal GAIN_(P) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) indicates that the power converter 200 in FIG. 2 is operating with a proportional gain, and the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) indicates that the power converter 200 is operating with an integral gain.

When the power converter 200 in FIG. 2 is operating in a first gain mode (e.g., a proportional gain mode of FIG. 8) in response to the first gain control signal GAIN_(P), the output voltage V_(OUT) increases at a relatively high rate for a first time period (e.g., a proportional gain transient period of FIG. 8) and then is settled to a steady-state value for a second time period (e.g., a proportional gain stead period of FIG. 8). Subsequently, the power converter 200 transitions from the first gain mode to a second gain mode (e.g., an integral gain mode of FIG. 8) in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I), and generates the output voltage V_(OUT) having a relatively low frequency and a relatively small amplitude.

The gain transition controller 220 in FIG. 2 provides the first gain control signal GAIN and the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) to the gain control circuit 240. In an embodiment, the gain transition controller 220 generates the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) and the first gain control signal GAIN_(P) having a second logic value (e.g., a logic low value) in response to a transition setting signal, a gain transition signal, and a feedback monitoring signal when a value of the feedback signal FB becomes less than a reference value. In another embodiment, the gain transition controller 220 generates the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) and the first gain control signal GAIN having a second logic value (e.g., a logic low value) in response to the transition setting signal and the gain transition signal when the input voltage V_(IN) reaches a peak value.

The PWM controller 234 in FIG. 2 receives the feedback signal FB from the gain control circuit 240, and generates the PWM signal in response to the feedback signal FB. In an embodiment, the PWM controller 234 reduces one or both of an on-time duration and a switching frequency of the PWM signal PWM when the value of the feedback signal FB is decreased, and the PWM controller 234 increases one or both of the on-time duration and the switching frequency of the PWM signal PWM when the value of the feedback signal FB is increased.

FIG. 3A illustrates a gain control circuit 340 a suitable for use as the gain control circuit 240 of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment. The gain control circuit 340 a in FIG. 3A includes an amplifier 302, first and second resistors 306 and 308, first and second switching devices 304 and 312, a capacitor 310, and an output node OTN.

The amplifier 302 in FIG. 3A generates a feedback signal FB in response to a sampled signal (e.g., a sampled voltage) V_(AOUT) and a reference signal (e.g., a reference voltage) V_(REF). In an embodiment, the amplifier 302 is a transconductance amplifier, which generates a current having a magnitude proportional to a difference between the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) and the reference voltage V_(REF).

In a first gain mode (e.g., a proportional gain mode), the first switching device 304 in FIG. 3A is turned on to couple the output node OTN to the first resistor 306 and the second resistor 308 in response to a first gain control signal GAIN_(P), and the second switching device 312 is turned off in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I). In an embodiment, the first switching device 304 in FIG. 3A is turned on when the first gain control signal GAIN_(P) has a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value), and the second switching device 312 is turned off in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a second logic value (e.g., a low logic value).

The first resistor 306 has a first end connected to the first switching device 304 and a second end connected to a ground. When the gain control circuit 340 a in FIG. 3A is operating in the first gain mode, a value of the feedback signal FB is determined dominantly by the resistance value of the first register 306.

The second resistor 308 has a first end connected to the output node OTN and a second end connected to the capacitor 310. When the gain control circuit 340 a in FIG. 3A is operating in the first gain mode, the second resistor 308 and the capacitor 310 function as a low-pass filter.

In a second gain mode (e.g., an integral gain mode), the first switching device 304 in FIG. 3A is turned off in response to the first gain control signal GAIN_(P), and the second switching device 312 in FIG. 3A is turned on to couple the output node OTN to a first end of the capacitor 310 in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I). In an embodiment, the first switching device 304 in FIG. 3A is turned off when the first gain control signal GAIN_(P) has a logic low value, and the second switching device 312 is turned on in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a logic high value.

A second end of the capacitor 310 in FIG. 3A is connected to a ground. When the gain control circuit 340 a in FIG. 3A is operating in the second gain mode, the gain control circuit 340 a outputs the feedback signal FB at the output node OTN coupled to the first end of the capacitor 310.

FIG. 3B illustrates a gain control circuit 340 b suitable for use as the gain control circuit 240 of FIG. 2 according to another embodiment. The gain control circuit 340 b in FIG. 3B includes an amplifier 312, a resistors 316, first, second, and third switching devices 314, 322, and 326, a buffer 318, a capacitor 324, and an output node OTN.

The amplifier 312 in FIG. 3B generates a feedback signal FB in response to a sampled signal (e.g., a sampled voltage) V_(AOUT) and a reference signal (e.g., a reference voltage) V_(REF). In an embodiment, the amplifier 312 is a transconductance amplifier, which generates a current having a magnitude proportional to a difference between the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) and the reference voltage V_(REF).

In a first gain mode (e.g., a proportional gain mode), the first switching devices 314 in FIG. 3B is turned on to couple the output node OTN to a first end of the resistor 316 in response to a first gain control signal GAIN_(P), and the second switching device 322 in FIG. 3B is turned on to couple an output of the buffer 318 to a first end of the capacitor 324 in response to the first gain control signal GAIN_(P). The third switching device 326 in FIG. 3B is turned off in response to a second gain control signal GAIN_(I). In an embodiment, the first and second switching devices 314 and 322 in FIG. 3B are turned on when the first gain control signal GAIN has a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value), and the third switching device 326 is turned off in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a second logic value (e.g., a low logic value).

When the gain control circuit 340 b in FIG. 3B is operating in the first gain mode, a value of the feedback signal FB is determined by the value of a resistance value of the resistor 316. The buffer 318 in FIG. 3B, which has a non-inverting input receiving the feedback signal FB, makes a voltage level at the first end of the capacitor 324 substantially equal to the value of the feedback signal FB.

In a second gain mode (e.g., an integral gain mode), the first and second switching devices 314 and 322 in FIG. 3B are turned off in response to the first gain control signal GAIN_(P), and the third switching device 326 in FIG. 3B is turned on to couple the output node OTN to the first end of the capacitor 310 in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I). In an embodiment, the first and second switching devices 314 and 322 in FIG. 3B are turned off when the first gain control signal GAIN has a logic low value, and the third switching device 326 in FIG. 3B is turned on in response to the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a logic high value.

A second end of the capacitor 324 in FIG. 3B is connected to a ground. When the gain control circuit 340 b in FIG. 3B is operating in the second gain mode, the gain control circuit 340 b outputs the feedback signal FB at the output node OTN coupled to the first end of the capacitor 324.

FIG. 4 illustrates a gain transition controller 420 suitable for use as the transition controller 220 of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment.

The gain transition controller 420 in FIG. 4 generates first and second gain control signals GAIN_(P) and GAIN_(I), and provides the generated signals GAIN_(P) and GAIN_(I) to a gain control circuit (e.g., the gain control circuit 240 of FIG. 2). The gain transition controller 420 includes a transition signal generator 440, a transition setting circuit 460, a gain control signal generator 464, a monitoring signal generator 462, and an inverter 444.

The transition signal generator 440 in FIG. 4 generates a gain transition signal GT_(cond). In an embodiment, the transition signal generator 440 receives one or more of a feedback signal (e.g., the feedback signal FB of FIG. 2), a reference feedback signal (e.g., a reference feedback signal FB_(ref) of FIG. 6), an input voltage (e.g., the input voltage V_(IN) of FIG. 2), a reference input voltage (e.g., a reference input voltage V_(INREF) of FIG. 9C), and generates the gain transition signal GT_(cond) in response to the received one or more signals.

The transition setting circuit 460 in FIG. 4 generates a transition setting signal GT_(en) having a specific logic value (e.g., a logic high value), which indicates a transition from a first gain mode to a second gain mode. In an embodiment, the transition setting circuit 460 receives the feedback signal (e.g., a feedback signal FB of FIG. 5) and a threshold signal (e.g., a threshold signal V_(TH) of FIG. 5), and generates the transition setting signal GT_(en) having a logic high value in response to the feedback signal and the threshold signal. In another embodiment, the transition setting circuit 460 receives a signal (e.g., a signal START of FIG. 10) indicating initiation of a startup operation of a power converter at a first time, delays the received signal by a given delay amount, and generates the transition setting signal GT_(en) having a logic high value at a second time corresponding to a sum of the first time and the given delay amount. The given delay amount is a predetermined amount in an embodiment.

The monitoring signal generator 462 in FIG. 4 includes a delay circuit 452 and a flip-flop 454. The delay circuit 452 receives the transition setting signal GT_(en) and generates a delayed version of the transition setting signal GT_(en) by a given delay amount, where the given delay amount is a predetermined delay amount. The flip-flop 454 receives the transition setting signal GT_(en) and generates a feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) in response to the transition setting signal GT_(en) and the delayed version of the transition setting signal GT_(en).

In an embodiment, the flip-flop 454 in FIG. 4 is a set/reset (RS) flip-flop. The RS flip-flop 454 receives the transition setting signal GT_(en) as a set signal and the delayed version of the transition setting signal GT_(en) as a reset signal, and generates the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) having an on-time duration that corresponds to the delay amount of the delay circuit 452.

The gain control signal generator 464 in FIG. 4 includes first and second logic gates 442 and 450. The first logic gate 442 receives the transition setting signal GT_(en) and an inverted version of the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON). In an embodiment, the first logic gate 442 is an AND gate and performs an AND logical operation on the transition setting signal GT_(en) and the inverted version of the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON).

The second logic gate 450 in FIG. 4 receives the gain transition signal GT_(cond) and an output signal from the first logic gate 442, and generates the second gain control signal GAIN_(I). In an embodiment, the second logic gate 450 is an AND gate and performs an AND logical operation on the gain transition signal GT_(cond) and the output signal from the first logic gate 442.

The inverter 444 receives the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) and generates an inverted version of the second gain control signal GAIN_(I), which corresponds to the first gain control signal GAIN_(P).

Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes the monitoring signal generator 462 generating the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON), embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the monitoring signal generator 462 generating the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) and the first logic gate 442 receiving the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) may be omitted, and thus the second logic gate 450 receives the transition setting signal GT_(en) instead of the output signal from the first logic gate 442.

FIG. 5 illustrates a transition setting circuit 560 suitable for use as the transition setting circuit 460 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition setting circuit 560 of FIG. 5 includes a comparator 566 and a delay circuit 564.

The comparator 566 in FIG. 5 compares a feedback signal FB to a threshold signal V_(TH), and generates an output signal in response to the feedback signal FB and the threshold signal V_(TH). In an embodiment, the comparator 566 generates the output signal having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) when a value of the feedback signal FB becomes less than a value of the threshold signal V_(TH), and generates the output signal having a second logic value (e.g., a logic low value) when a value of the feedback signal FB becomes greater than a value of the threshold signal V_(TH).

The delay circuit 564 in FIG. 5 delays the output signal of the comparator 566 by a given delay amount to generate a transition setting signal GT_(en), where the given delay amount may be a predetermined amount. In an embodiment, the predetermined amount of the delay circuit 566 corresponds to a time interval between the first time (e.g., a second time t₂ in FIG. 8) when the value of the feedback signal FB becomes less than the value of the threshold signal V_(TH) and a second time (e.g., a third time t₃ in FIG. 8) when the transition setting signal GT_(en) is asserted to have a logic high value. Although the embodiment in FIG. 5 includes the delay circuit 566, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the delay circuit 566 can be omitted and the output signal of the comparator 566 in FIG. 5 can be used as the transition setting signal GT_(en).

FIG. 6 illustrates a transition signal generator 640 suitable for use as the transition signal generator 440 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition signal generator 640 in FIG. 6 includes a reference feedback signal generator 642, a comparator 644, and an edge trigger 646.

The reference feedback signal generator 642 in FIG. 6 receives a feedback signal FB and generates a reference feedback signal FB_(ref) in response to the feedback signal FB. In an embodiment, the reference feedback signal FB_(ref) has an average value of the feedback signal FB over a given time interval, where the given time interval may be a predetermined time interval.

The comparator 644 in FIG. 6 compares the value of the reference feedback signal FB_(ref) and an instantaneous value of the feedback signal FB and generates an output signal in response to the comparison result. In an embodiment, the comparator 664 generates the output signal transitioning from a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) to a second logic value (e.g., a logic low value) when the instantaneous value of the feedback signal FB becomes less than the value of the reference feedback signal FB_(ref).

The edge trigger 646 in FIG. 6 generates a gain transition signal GT_(cond) in response to the output signal from the comparator 644. In an embodiment, the edge trigger 646 generates the gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a logic high value in response to an edge (e.g., a falling edge or a rising edge) of the output signal from the comparator 644.

FIG. 7 illustrates a reference feedback signal generator 742 suitable for use as the reference feedback signal generator 642 of FIG. 6 according to an embodiment. The reference feedback signal generator 742 in FIG. 7 includes a switching device 738, a peak detector 744, a valley detector 764, an adder 748, and a multiplier 750.

The switching device 738 in FIG. 7 is turned on or off in response to a feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON). In an embodiment, the switching device 738 is turned on to transmit a feedback signal FB to the peak detector 744 and the valley detector 746 when the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) has a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value).

The peak detector 744 in FIG. 7 detects a maximum value of the feedback signal FB when the feedback signal FB has a logic high value. The peak detector 744 outputs a signal indicating the maximum value to the adder 748.

The valley detector 738 in FIG. 7 detects a minimum value of the feedback signal FB when the feedback signal FB has a logic high value. The valley detector 738 outputs a signal indicating the minimum value to the adder 748.

The adder 748 in FIG. 7 adds the maximum value and the minimum value, and output a signal indicating the added value to the multiplier 750.

The multiplier 750 in FIG. 7 multiplies the added value with a predetermined value, and outputs a signal indicating the multiplied value as a reference feedback FB_(ref). In an embodiment, the multiplier 750 multiplies the added value with the predetermined value of 0.5, and thus the multiplied value corresponds to an averaged value of the feedback signal FB during a time interval when the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) has a logic high value.

An operation of a primary side controller (e.g., the primary side controller 210 in FIG. 2), which includes the transition setting circuit 560 in FIG. 5 and the transition signal generator 640 in FIG. 6, is explained below in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 illustrates example waveforms of an input voltage (e.g., the input voltage V_(IN) in FIG. 2), the feedback signal FB, the sampled voltage V_(AOUT), the transition setting signal GT_(en), the feedback monitoring FB_(MON), the gain transition signal GT_(cond), the first gain control signal GAIN_(P), and the second gain control signal GAIN_(I).

At a first time t₁ in FIG. 8, a power converter (e.g., the power converter 200 of FIG. 2) enters a first gain mode (e.g., a proportional gain mode). Because a difference between the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) and a reference voltage V_(REF) (e.g., the reference voltage V_(REF) in FIG. 3A) is relatively large, an amplifier (e.g., the amplifier 302 in FIG. 3A) generates a current having a magnitude sufficiently large to pull up the value of the feedback signal FB to a maximum value.

A time interval in the proportional gain mode in FIG. 8 includes a transient period (e.g., a proportional gain transient period) and a steady state period (e.g., a proportional gain steady period). During the proportional gain transient period between the first time t₁ and a second time t₂, the feedback signal FB has the maximum value, leading to a maximum duty cycle of a PWM signal (e.g., the PWM signal PWM in FIG. 2). As a result, the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) in FIG. 8 indicating an output voltage (e.g., the output voltage V_(OUT) in FIG. 2) increases at a relatively fast rate, leading to a fast startup operation.

At the second time t₂ in FIG. 8 when the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) reaches a predetermined level (e.g., 95% of the reference voltage V_(REF)), the difference between the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) and the reference voltage V_(REF) becomes sufficiently small to decrease the value of the feedback signal FB from the maximum value to the value of the threshold signal V_(TH). The power converter enters the proportional gain steady period during which the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) is settled to a steady state value within a predetermined range. For example, the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) is settled within a range from 95% to 105%, from 98% to 102%, or from 99% to 101% of the steady state value. The steady state value is lower than the reference voltage V_(REF). For example, the stead state value is in a range from 96% to 99% of the level of the reference voltage V_(REF).

During a time interval between the third time t₃ and a fourth time t₄ in FIG. 8, the flip-flop 454 in FIG. 4 generates the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) in response to the transition setting signal GT_(en) and the delayed version of the transition setting signal GT_(en). The delay amount of the delay circuit 452 in FIG. 4 corresponds to the time interval between the third time t₃ and the fourth time t₄ in FIG. 8.

During the time interval between the third time t₃ and the fourth time t₄ in FIG. 8 when the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) having a logic high value, the reference feedback signal generator 642 in FIG. 6 generates the reference feedback signal FB_(ref). In an embodiment, the reference feedback signal generator 742 in FIG. 7 generates the reference feedback signal FB_(ref) having an averaged value of the feedback signal FB over the time interval between the third time t₃ and the fourth time t₄ in FIG. 8.

At the fourth time t₄ in FIG. 8, the delay circuit 452 in FIG. 4 provides an output signal having a logic high value as a reset signal to the flip-flop 454 in FIG. 4. As a result, the flip-flop 454 generates the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) having a logic low value, and the first logic gate 442 in FIG. 4 generates an output signal having a logic high value in response to an inverted version of the feedback monitoring signal FB_(MON) and the transition setting signal GT_(en).

At a fifth time t₅ in FIG. 8, the feedback signal FB has a value less than the value of the reference feedback signal FB_(ref), and the transition signal generator 640 in FIG. 6 generates the gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a logic high value. Because the output signal of the first logic gate 442 in FIG. 4 has been asserted to have a logic high value since the fourth time t₄, the second logic gate 450 in FIG. 4 generates the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a logic high value in response to the output signal of the first logic gate 442 and the gain transition signal GT_(cond). The inverter 444 in FIG. 4 inverts the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) having a logic high value to generate the first gain control signal GAIN_(P) having a logic low value. As a result, the power converter enters an integral gain mode at the fifth time t₅.

Although the power converter according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, which includes the transition signal generator 640 in FIG. 6, enters the integral gain mode at the fifth time t₅ when the feedback signal FB has a value less than the value of the reference feedback signal FB_(ref), embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. FIGS. 9A to 9E illustrate respective transition signal generators 940 a to 940 e according to various embodiments.

FIG. 9A illustrates the transition signal generator 940 a suitable for use as the transition signal generator 440 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition signal generator 940 a in FIG. 9A includes a slope detector 942.

The slope detector 942 in FIG. 9A receives a feedback signal FB and generates a signal indicating a slope of the feedback signal FB. In an embodiment, the slope detector 942 generates a gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a time when the signal indicating the slope of the feedback signal FB has a value equal to or less than a predetermined value.

FIG. 9B illustrates the transition signal generator 940 b suitable for use as the transition signal generator 440 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition signal generator 940 b in FIG. 9B includes a slope detector 954.

The slope detector 954 in FIG. 9B receives an input voltage V_(IN) (e.g., the input voltage V_(IN) of FIG. 2) and generates a signal indicating a slope of the input voltage V_(IN). The slope detector 954 generates a gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a time when the signal indicating slope of the input voltage V_(IN) has a value equal to or less than a predetermined value.

FIG. 9C illustrates the transition signal generator 940 c suitable for use as the transition signal generator 440 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition signal generator 940 c in FIG. 9C includes a comparator 964.

The comparator 964 in FIG. 9C compares an input voltage V_(IN) and a reference input signal (e.g., a reference input voltage) V_(INREF). The comparator 964 generates a gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a time when the input V_(IN) has a level equal to or higher than a level of the reference input voltage V_(INREF).

FIG. 9D illustrates the transition signal generator 940 d suitable for use as the transition signal generator 440 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition signal generator 940 d in FIG. 9D includes a synchronizing circuit 970.

The synchronizing circuit 970 in FIG. 9D synchronizes a gain transition signal GT_(cond) with an input voltage V_(IN). In an embodiment, the synchronizing circuit 970 continuously detects the input voltage V_(IN) (e.g., the input voltage V_(IN) of FIG. 2) and generates the gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a time when the detected input voltage V_(IN) has a maximum value. In another embodiment, the synchronizing circuit 970 generates the gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a logic high value at a time when the input voltage V_(IN) has a value substantially equal to zero.

FIG. 9E illustrates the transition signal generator 940 e suitable for use as the transition signal generator 440 of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment. The transition signal generator 940 e in FIG. 9E includes a synchronizing circuit 974 and a delay circuit 976.

The synchronizing circuit 974 in FIG. 9E synchronizes a gain transition signal GT_(cond) with an input voltage V_(IN). In an embodiment, the synchronizing circuit 974 has substantially the same configuration as the synchronizing circuit 970 in FIG. 9D, and generates an output signal having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a first time when the input voltage V_(IN) has a maximum value.

The delay circuit 976 in FIG. 9E delays the output signal of the synchronizing circuit 974 by a given delay amount to generate a gain transition signal GT_(cond) having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a second time corresponding to a sum of the first time and the given delay amount, where the given delay amount is a predetermined amount. In an embodiment, the delay amount of the delay circuit 976 is determined such that a feedback signal (e.g., the feedback signal FB of FIG. 2) has a minimum value at the second time, thereby preventing a severe overshoot of an output voltage V_(OUT) (e.g., the output voltage V_(OUT) of FIG. 2) of a power converter (e.g., the power converter 200 of FIG. 2).

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating a transition setting circuit 1060 suitable for use as the transition setting circuit 460 of FIG. 4 according to another embodiment.

The transition setting circuit 1060 of FIG. 10 includes a delay circuit 1066. The delay circuit 1066 in FIG. 10 receives a signal (e.g., a signal START of FIG. 11) indicating initiation of a startup operation of a power converter (e.g., the power converter 200 of FIG. 2), and delays the received signal by a given delay amount to generate a transition setting signal GT_(en), where the given delay amount may be a predetermined amount.

In an embodiment, the delay circuit 1066 in FIG. 10 receives the signal having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value) at a first time and generates the transition setting signal GT_(en) having a logic high value at a second time corresponding to a sum of the first time and the predetermined amount. For example, the predetermined amount of the delay circuit 1066 corresponds to a time interval between the first time (e.g., the first time t₁ in FIG. 11) when the power converter initiates the startup operation and the second time (e.g., the third time t₃ in FIG. 11) when the transition setting signal GT_(en) is asserted to have a logic high value.

An operation of a primary side controller (e.g., the primary side controller 210 in FIG. 2), which includes the transition setting circuit 1060 in FIG. 10, is explained below in more detail below with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 illustrates example waveforms of an input voltage V_(IN) (e.g., the input voltage V_(IN) in FIG. 2), the feedback signal FB, a sampled voltage V_(AOUT), the transition setting signal GT_(en), a gain transition signal GT_(cond) (e.g., the gain transition signal GT_(cond) of FIG. 4), a first gain control signal GAIN (e.g., the first gain control signal GAIN_(P) of FIG. 2), and a second gain control signal GAIN_(I) (e.g., the second gain control signal GAIN_(I) of FIG. 2).

At a first time t₁ in FIG. 11, a power converter (e.g., the power converter 200 of FIG. 2) receives a signal START indicating initiation of a startup operation and enters a first gain mode (e.g., a proportional gain mode). Because a difference between the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) and a reference voltage (e.g., the reference voltage V_(REF) in FIG. 3A) is relatively large, an amplifier (e.g., the amplifier 302 in FIG. 3A) generates a current having a magnitude sufficiently large to pull up the value of the feedback signal FB to a maximum value.

A time interval in the proportional gain mode in FIG. 11 includes a transient period (e.g., a proportional gain transient period) and a steady state period (e.g., a proportional gain steady period). During the proportional gain transient period between the first time t₁ and a second time t₂, the feedback signal FB has the maximum value, leading to a maximum duty cycle of a PWM signal (e.g., the PWM signal PWM in FIG. 2). As a result, the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) in FIG. 11 indicating an output voltage (e.g., the output voltage V_(OUT) in FIG. 2) increases at a relatively fast rate, leading to a fast startup operation.

At the second time t₂ in FIG. 11 when the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) reaches a predetermined level (e.g., 95% of the reference voltage V_(REF)), the difference between the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) and the reference voltage V_(REF) becomes sufficiently small to decrease the value of the feedback signal FB from the maximum value to the value of the threshold signal V_(TH). The power converter enters the proportional gain steady period during which the sampled voltage V_(AOUT) is settled to a value lower than the reference voltage V_(REF).

In an embodiment including the delay circuit 1066 in FIG. 10, the delay circuit 1066 receives the signal START indicating the initiation of the startup operation at the first time t₁ and generates the transition setting signal GT_(en) having a logic high value at the third time t₃. Thus, a time interval between the first time t₁ and the third time t₃ in FIG. 11 corresponds to the delay amount of the delay circuit 1066 in FIG. 10.

Other operations of the primary side controller including the transition setting circuit 1060 in FIG. 10 are similar to those of the primary side controller including the transition setting circuit 560 in FIG. 5. Thus, detailed descriptions of these operations of the primary side controller including the transition setting circuit 1060 in FIG. 10 will be omitted herein for the interest of brevity.

FIG. 12 illustrates a process 1200 performed by a controller (e.g., the primary side controller 210 of FIG. 2) of a power converter (e.g., the power converter 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment. The controller includes a gain transition controller (e.g., the gain transition controller 220 of FIG. 2), a gain control circuit (e.g., the gain control circuit 240 of FIG. 2), and a modulation controller (e.g., the PWM controller 234 of FIG. 2).

At S1220, the gain transition controller generates a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal in response to a gain transition signal, which indicates a transition of the power converter from a first gain mode to a second gain mode. In an embodiment, the first gain mode is a proportional gain mode and the second gain mode is an integral gain mode.

At S1240, the gain control circuit causes the power converter to enter the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal. In an embodiment, the power converter enters the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal having a first logic value (e.g., a logic high value).

At S1060, the gain control circuit causes the power converter to enter the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal. In an embodiment, the power converter enters the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal having a first logic value (a logic high value).

FIG. 13 illustrates a process 1340 performed by a controller (e.g., the primary side controller 210 of FIG. 2) including a gain control circuit (e.g., the gain control circuit 240 of FIG. 2) when a power converter (e.g., the power converter 200 of FIG. 2) operates in the first gain mode according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the first gain mode is a proportional gain mode, and a time interval of the proportional gain mode includes a transient period and a stead state period.

At S1360, the gain control circuit increases a value of a tracking signal (e.g., the sampled signal V_(AOUT) of FIG. 2) substantially linearly during the transient period (e.g., the proportional gain transient period of FIG. 8). The sampled signal indicates an output signal of the power converter.

At S1380, the gain control circuit causes the sampled signal to settle proximate to a specific value during the steady state period (e.g., the proportional gain steady period of FIG. 8). The specific value is smaller than a value of a reference signal (e.g., the reference signal V_(REF) of FIG. 2).

Aspects of the present disclosure have been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments thereof that are proposed as examples. Numerous alternatives, modifications, and variations to the embodiments as set forth herein may be made without departing from the scope of the claims set forth below. Accordingly, embodiments as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for controlling a power converter, the method comprising: generating a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal in response to a gain transition signal, the gain transition signal indicating a transition of the power converter from a first gain mode to a second gain mode; causing the power converter to enter the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal; and causing the power converter to enter the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gain mode is a proportional gain mode and the second gain mode is an integral gain mode.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: increasing a value of a tracking signal during a transient period of the first gain mode, the tracking signal indicating an output signal of the power converter; and causing the tracking signal to settle proximate to a specific value during a steady state period of the first gain mode.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: generating a feedback signal in response to the tracking signal and the reference signal; comparing a value of the feedback signal to a value of a threshold signal; and causing the power converter to enter from the transient period to the steady state period when a comparison result is obtained from comparing the value of the feedback signal to the value of the threshold signal.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a feedback signal in response to a tracking signal and a reference signal, the tracking signal indicating an output signal of the power converter; and causing the gain transition signal to have a specific logic value in response to the feedback signal, the specific logic value indicating the transition from the first gain mode to the second gain mode.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: generating a transition setting signal in response to the feedback signal and a threshold signal; generating the second gain control signal in response to the transition setting signal and the gain transition signal; and inverting the second gain control signal to generate the first gain control signal.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising: generating a reference feedback signal in response to the feedback signal; comparing a value of the reference feedback signal to a value of the feedback signal to generate an output signal; and generating the gain transition signal in response to the output signal.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: causing the gain transition signal to have a specific logic value in response to an input signal of the power converter, the specific logic value indicating the transition from the first gain mode to the second gain mode.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: synchronizing the gain transition signal with the input signal of the power converter to generate an output signal having the specific logic value at a first given time relative to a second given time of the input signal of the power converter, the second given time corresponding to a predetermined value of the input signal.
 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: detecting a slope of the input signal of the power converter to generate the gain transition signal having the specific logic value.
 11. A circuit for controlling a power converter comprising: a gain transition controller configured to generate a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal in response to a gain transition signal, the gain transition signal indicating a transition of the power converter from a first gain mode to a second gain mode; and a gain control circuit configured to cause the power converter to enter the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal, and cause the power converter to enter the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal.
 12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the first gain mode is a proportional gain mode and the second gain mode is an integral gain mode.
 13. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the gain control circuit increases a value of a tracking signal substantially linearly during a transient period of the first gain mode, the tracking signal indicating an output signal of the power converter, and causes the tracking signal to settle proximate to a specific value during a steady state period of the first gain mode.
 14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the gain control circuit includes an amplifier generating a feedback signal in response to the tracking signal and the reference signal, and wherein the gain transition controller includes a comparator comparing a value of the feedback signal to a value of a threshold signal.
 15. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the gain control circuit includes an amplifier generating a feedback signal in response to the tracking signal and the reference signal, and wherein the gain transition controller includes a transition signal generator causing the gain transition signal to have a specific logic value in response to the feedback signal, the specific logic value indicating of the transition from the first gain mode to the second gain mode.
 16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the gain transition controller further includes: a transition setting circuit generating a transition setting signal in response to the feedback signal and a threshold signal, a gain control signal generator generating the second gain control signal in response to the transition setting signal and the gain transition signal; and an inverter inverting the second gain control signal to generate the first gain control signal.
 17. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the transition signal generator includes: a reference feedback signal generator generating a reference feedback signal in response to the feedback signal; a comparator comparing a value of the reference feedback signal to a value of the feedback signal to generate an output signal; and an edge trigger generating the gain transition signal in response to the output signal.
 18. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the gain transition controller includes a transition signal generator causing the gain transition signal to have a specific logic value in response to an input signal of the power converter, the specific logic value indicating the transition from the first gain mode to the second gain mode.
 19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein the transition signal generator includes: a synchronizing circuit generating an output signal having the specific logic high value at a first given time relative to a second given time of the input signal of the power converter, the second given time corresponding to a predetermined value of the input signal.
 20. A power converter comprising: a primary side circuit receiving an input signal; and a secondary side circuit generating an output signal in response to the input signal, wherein the primary side circuit includes: a primary side controller configured to generate a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal in response to a gain transition signal, the gain transition signal indicating a transition of the power converter from a first gain mode to a second gain mode, the primary side controller causing the power converter to enter the first gain mode in response to the first gain control signal, and causing the power converter to enter the second gain mode in response to the second gain control signal. 